Dylan Larkin to Montreal? Red Wings’ Asking Price Creates a Major Problem

The Detroit Red Wings keep showing up at Montreal Canadiens games, but the biggest obstacle to a Dylan Larkin blockbuster might not be his willingness to move. It could be what Detroit wants in return.

According to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels, the Red Wings have set an exceptionally high asking price for Larkin, even as assistant general manager Kris Draper continues scouting Montreal. The Canadiens have the young talent and prospects to make a serious offer, but acquiring the 30-year-old centre could require sacrificing an important piece of their future.

And now another name is generating attention: Michael Hage.

The Canadiens prospect has emerged in discussions about what Detroit might demand, raising an uncomfortable question for Montreal’s management. Would adding a proven 30-goal centre justify moving one of the organization’s most promising young players?

The latest development: Detroit’s asking price remains prohibitively high, Montreal still isn’t on Larkin’s reported approved destination list, and there is no confirmed trade agreement.

Here’s why the scouting activity matters, what the Canadiens could offer, and why this deal remains complicated.

Why the Detroit Red Wings Keep Scouting the Montreal Canadiens

One scouting appearance can be routine. Four appearances involving the same organization deserve a closer look.

In his October 28 Sportsnet report, Engels detailed Draper’s attendance at several Canadiens games, including Montreal’s meetings with Toronto, San Jose, Chicago and St. Louis.

That follows Pierre LeBrun’s earlier reporting that Detroit was monitoring Montreal in case Larkin agreed to expand his preferred destinations.

The pattern suggests Detroit is conducting serious evaluations of the Canadiens’ personnel. It doesn’t establish that the clubs are negotiating a specific trade package.

What interests me is the variety of players Draper can evaluate in person.

Montreal has NHL-ready young talent, developing defencemen and a prospect pipeline that could help Detroit address multiple organizational needs.

If I’m evaluating the Canadiens from Detroit’s perspective, I’m not simply looking for the best prospect. I’m asking which available players could replace Larkin’s responsibilities over the next two or three seasons.

That distinction becomes important when discussing the asking price.

Dylan Larkin Trade Price: Why Detroit Is Demanding So Much

The Red Wings aren’t treating Larkin like an expiring contract they need to move before the trade deadline.

He carries an $8.7 million annual salary-cap hit through the 2030-31 season, providing four additional seasons of control after this one.

Detroit also reportedly wants players who can help immediately rather than a package built entirely around distant draft picks.

According to Engels, an Eastern Conference executive described Detroit’s asking price as exceptionally difficult for interested teams to meet.

That position makes sense.

Larkin has scored at least 30 goals in each of the past five seasons. Despite his trade request, he continues playing important minutes for the Red Wings.

Trading that production without acquiring an adequate replacement could set Detroit’s rebuild back considerably.

The organization has little incentive to accept an underwhelming return while remaining competitive.

Is Michael Hage the Prospect Who Could Decide a Dylan Larkin Trade?

This is where the Montreal Canadiens face their most difficult decision.

Elliotte Friedman has raised Michael Hage as a player Detroit would likely ask about, although that doesn’t establish that the Red Wings have formally demanded him.

Hage is a particularly interesting asset because he offers the kind of offensive upside Detroit would want in a centre prospect.

Montreal also has Alexander Zharovsky, David Reinbacher, Bryce Pickford and other emerging players who could attract attention.

But I would be extremely cautious about including Hage without knowing exactly what else Detroit expects.

Larkin would improve Montreal immediately, but Hage could eventually provide meaningful production on a considerably cheaper contract.

The Canadiens aren’t trying to win one playoff round at any cost. They’re building a roster they hope can compete for several seasons.

Sacrificing too much young talent for an established veteran could undermine that plan.

My assessment: If Detroit demands Hage, another premium prospect and significant draft capital, Montreal should seriously consider walking away.

A blockbuster only makes sense if the Canadiens retain enough talent to benefit from the player they’re acquiring.

What Could Montreal Offer Detroit Without Moving Its Entire Future?

There are several assets worth evaluating. Oliver Kapanen provides a young centre with NHL experience, while Adam Engström gives Detroit another developing defenceman.

Both were identified in Engels’ analysis as players potentially appealing to the Red Wings.

A hypothetical package involving Kapanen, Engström and a first-round selection would give Detroit three distinct assets.

However, I wouldn’t automatically expect that offer to satisfy Detroit’s reported demands.

The Red Wings would be surrendering a proven top-six centre on a long-term contract. Kapanen and Engström still carry developmental uncertainty.

Adding a premium prospect such as Hage could change Detroit’s interest, but it would also dramatically increase Montreal’s cost.

Crucially, none of these combinations is a reported offer. They are potential trade structures based on the players discussed in public reporting.

The Canadiens must also make the salary-cap numbers work.

Can the Montreal Canadiens Afford Dylan Larkin’s $8.7 Million Contract?

The salary cap is another obstacle, but potentially a solvable one.

PuckPedia lists Montreal with approximately $1.5 million in projected 2026-27 cap space. Adding Larkin’s entire $8.7 million cap hit without removing salary would put the Canadiens well beyond that amount.

Moving Kapanen and Engström alone wouldn’t clear enough room.

Montreal would need additional outgoing salary, another roster adjustment or an agreement involving retained salary.

That final possibility would come at a cost. Detroit has little reason to retain millions of dollars annually through 2031 without receiving additional compensation.

And Montreal has to think beyond this season. A trade that fits today but creates problems next summer wouldn’t necessarily represent good management.

The Canadiens have considerable long-term upside. They don’t need to mortgage their flexibility simply because a major name becomes available.

Five Straight 30-Goal Seasons Show Why Larkin Still Has Value

Larkin’s current production doesn’t fully explain Detroit’s position.

Through his first 10 games of 2026-27, the veteran centre has recorded two goals and four assists while averaging nearly 22 minutes of ice time.

Those numbers aren’t spectacular, but the larger sample is more meaningful.

Over the previous five regular seasons, Larkin scored 160 goals and accumulated 354 points across 375 games.

That’s an average of 32 goals per season.

He brings speed through the neutral zone, can attack defenders off the rush and has experience against difficult matchups.

For Montreal, the attraction is obvious.

Nick Suzuki would no longer need to carry as much of the offensive burden at centre. Larkin could provide another legitimate scoring threat, giving the Canadiens more flexibility when constructing their top two lines.

That matters in the playoffs, where strong opponents routinely focus on neutralizing a team’s most productive line.

Still, acquiring Larkin doesn’t automatically solve every roster weakness.

The Canadiens would be adding a player entering his thirties, not someone just beginning his prime.

That’s why the acquisition cost is every bit as important as the on-ice fit.

Could Dylan Larkin Approve a Trade to Montreal?

This remains the central complication. According to reporting from Helene St. James, Larkin expanded his preferred trade destinations to 10 American teams. Montreal wasn’t included.

Elliotte Friedman has suggested a possible arrangement where the Canadiens and Red Wings establish a deal first, then approach Larkin about approving it.

That sequence is significant. It means Detroit could evaluate Montreal’s assets without possessing prior approval from Larkin.

It also means a trade package could become acceptable to both teams and still fail because the player declines.

Canadiens supporters made their interest clear when they chanted for Larkin during Detroit’s visit to the Bell Centre.

Friedman has indicated that the reception may have influenced the conversation, but there has been no confirmed change to Larkin’s approved destinations.

Until that happens, Montreal remains a possibility rather than a confirmed landing spot.

Latest Dylan Larkin Update: Practice Absence Was Not a Trade Signal

Speculation increased Wednesday when Larkin missed Detroit’s practice.

However, Detroit Free Press reporter Helene St. James subsequently reported that coach Todd McLellan described his absence as a maintenance day.

Larkin was expected to be available when the Red Wings hosted the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, October 29.

That clarification matters. A missed practice is not evidence that a trade has been completed or is imminent.

What Happens Next in the Dylan Larkin Trade Rumors?

I believe Detroit’s next move depends more on its asking price than on the number of teams expressing interest.

The Red Wings have a valuable player under contract, while Montreal has attractive assets it doesn’t want to surrender unnecessarily.

There’s room for discussion, but not necessarily an easy compromise.

The next meaningful developments would be confirmation that Larkin is willing to consider Montreal, a change in Detroit’s demands or stronger reporting that the teams have discussed a specific package.

My prediction is that the Canadiens continue exploring the situation without rushing into a deal.

Montreal has earned the right to be selective.

If a reasonable path opens, Larkin could become one of the most significant additions of the season.

If Detroit insists on a package that includes too many of Montreal’s best young players, the Canadiens would be better off keeping their prospects and exploring other opportunities.

The bottom line: Dylan Larkin makes plenty of sense in Montreal’s lineup. The difficult question is whether acquiring him makes sense at Detroit’s price.

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